November, 2007
A Tracker recovery unit member and two officers from the SAPS K9 Search and Rescue Unit (White River) and the VIS Unit (Nelspruit) were returning from the Malekhutu area in Mpumalanga on Saturday evening (November 10, 2007), where they had successfully recovered four stolen vehicles in an undercover operation, when a pair of brazen hijackers tried to run them off the road as they entered Kabokweni.
The Tracker member and the SAPS officers were traveling in an unmarked SUV with tinted windows and could hardly believe what was happening when the driver of a black Golf rounded a corner and swerved deliberately into their lane, flashing their headlights at them, trying to get them to stop.
The SAPS vehicle managed to take evasive action and passed the vehicle, narrowly avoiding a serious collision.
Undeterred, the Golf then turned around and sped up behind the SUV again where it tried to push the vehicle off the road, forcing several passing motorists onto the pavement in the process. It then accelerated ahead of the SUV and pulled across the road to block them off. The one suspect then jumped out the Golf and, unarmed, charged towards the SUV.
The Tracker crew member and SAPS members then stopped their vehicle, climbed out and drew their firearms.
"Realising that the vehicle they had targeted with the tinted windows was in fact being driven by heavily armed SAPS and Tracker personnel, the man stopped in his tracks, sprinted back to his car and sped off," says Gareth Crocker, Communications Manager for Tracker.
The police vehicle then pursued the hijackers at high-speed, managing to force them off the road. As the one police officer and the Tracker member subdued the one suspect, the remaining officer got into a struggle with the second suspect where a shot was fired injuring the man in his arm.
Both suspects were arrested and have now been detained at the Kabokweni Police Station.
"What is particularly concerning for us is the brazen, almost Hollywood-style, hijacking attempt. However, we are extremely grateful that these alleged hijackers chose to hijack highly-trained Tracker and SAPS personnel and not an innocent family. We are extremely proud of both the SAPS and our own staff member for turning the tables on their attackers," says Crocker.
In just over a decade, Tracker and the SAPS have now recovered more than 36 000 hijacked and stolen vehicles and arrested some 6800 suspects.
For more information, please contact Gareth Crocker, Communications Manager for Tracker on gcrocker@tracker.co.za, (011) 380 0300 or 082 78 78 757.